AHS super sophomore Williams shines in road loss

Saturday

Dec 8, 2012 at 12:20 AM

Henley pulled away from a halftime deadlock against Ashland by outscoring the Grizzlies 14-2 in the third quarter en route to a 50-41 victory in a nonconference girls basketball game Friday at Henley High School.

KLAMATH FALLS — Henley pulled away from a halftime deadlock against Ashland by outscoring the Grizzlies 14-2 in the third quarter en route to a 50-41 victory in a nonconference girls basketball game Friday at Henley High School.

Ashland sophomore guard Georgia Williams had a strong all-around performance for the Grizzlies, scoring 23 points to go with 10 rebounds and four assists.

With the 2012-13 Southern Oregon women's basketball team off to a 10-1 start, the SOU coaching staff has signed high school senior Demi Sahlinger to lead the way in the Raiders' 2013 recruiting class.

Sahlinger, a 5-foot-7 guard from Napavine, Wash., is a three-time all-league performer for Napavine High School going into her senior season. She was named Central 2B League MVP last season after averaging 18 points and 6.5 rebounds per game and leading the Tigers to a 20-5 record and the No. 2 ranking in the state.

"I started watching Demi play a few years ago and what impressed me the most was her love for the game and how she interacts with her teammates," SOU head coach Lynn Kennedy said. "She is a skilled basketball player and one the better shooters in the state of Washington, but she also works hard on the defensive end and has a great sense for the game of basketball."

The Raiders' 2012-13 roster features four seniors, and Kennedy expects to add more recruits during the spring for next season. Signing Sahlinger provides a strong start for Kennedy and his staff, as she will provide positional versatility and scoring ability to the program. "Demi will be able to play either guard positions for us," Kennedy said. "She comes from a great high school program and played at a high level during the summer season, so she is ready for the college game. Most important, Demi is an excellent 4.0 GPA student and is looking forward to the challenges that SOU will have academically."